Posted on 06/16/2005 7:33:16 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
A 23-year-old sergeant with the Kentucky National Guard on Thursday became the first female soldier to receive the Silver Star — the nation's third-highest medal for valor — since World War II.
Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, who is from Nashville, Tenn., but serves in a Kentucky unit, received the award for gallantry during a March 20 insurgent ambush on a convoy in Iraq. Two men from her unit, the 617th Military Police Company of Richmond, Ky., also received the Silver Star for their roles in the same action.
According to military accounts of the firefight, insurgents attacked the convoy as it traveled south of Baghdad, launching their assault from trenches alongside the road using rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Hester and her unit moved through enemy fire to the trenches, attacking them with grenades before entering and clearing them.
She killed at least three insurgents with her M4 rifle, according to her award citation. In the entire battle, 26 or 27 insurgents were killed and several more were captured, according to various accounts. Several Americans were also wounded in the firefight.
"Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members. Sgt. Hester's bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism," her award citation reads.
"I'm honored to even be considered, much less awarded, the medal," Hester told the American Forces Press Service, a military-run information service. "It really doesn't have anything to do with being a female. It's about the duties I performed that day as a soldier."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You have a very admirable resume, Sarge. Thank you for your service.
Bump for this hero.
Here is the complete after-action report
http://www.FreeRepublic.com/focus/f-news/1371347/posts
They really don't get it do they.
OH,.. yah... right... Women don't belong in combat.
Show this to all the nah sayers that are trying to change the makeup of the US Army during a war.
Kudu's to Sgt. Hester for a job very well done.
Women don't belong in combat…..unless they're saving your a$$.
Awesome story! I think I'm in love. (Ssshh! Don't tell the Mrs.)
Hey I was here first..:-)
She needs a man, not a pet. :-)
LOL!
She is the type of person, you want watching your back and your blind side.
Salute PING
Excellent job!
Now, how long before the Dems start painting her as a baby killer and find some way to discredit her and demand she give back her Silver Star?
Oh, that's right...it'll happen right here with the "women don't belong in combat" minions, LOL! ;)
To compare those of us here who believe there are legitimate reasons to try and minimize women serving actively in combat and combate support positions with the liberal anti-war crowd who denigrate our fine military is akin to the the outrageous statements we have heard from Democrat quarters recently.
Let's give Sgt Hester the honor she is due and save the tacky insults for another thread.
There's nothing extraordinarily special about what she did to merit that award. She did what all soldiers are expected to do when attacked, and there are many men who are doing far greater on a daily basis that are not getting such accolades. I'm glad she responded, but it says absolutely nothing about women in combat. Her actions are hype being putting out femigon propagandist -it's way out of proportion to what occurred.
I guess you missed my go-round last week with a nut on another thread. Now, HE was insulting, when compared to what I posted.
Sorry if I upset you, one Vet to another. (ODS, '90-'92.) ;)
No problem. Just felt the heavy hand of the broad brush. Heck, I might have taken your side. Missed the thread. But I have participated in a number on the subject. Take care.
Ditto on that.
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